The present invention is directed generally to a method for improving a prepared food product and to a prepared food product wherein ground mature sweet corn is substituted for at least a portion of the ground field corn ingredient of the food product to enhance both the nutrition and taste of the prepared food product. Historically, sweet corn was grown for three purposes:
(1) To be harvested in the ear in the milk stage to be consumed by the general public to be eaten off the ear;
(2) To be harvested in the ear in the milk stage to be either canned or frozen in the kernel form by the public or commercial concerns;
(3) A very minute percentage of the product is grown for the reproduction of seed in which case the sweet corn is left to mature further in the field. The variety of the sweet corn will dictate the stage of maturity for optimum harvest of high germination seed for resale as hybrid or open pollinated sweet corn seed. Only recently this inventor's own U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,746,531 and 4,815,923 have taught that dried mature sweet corn will enhance transition feeds for swine and provide a very attractive inert ingredient for rodenticides.
The use of sweet corn in human food product in any form other than the moist early milk stage of the sweet corn has been very limited. One such use has been as a snack food wherein whole sweet corn kernels are deep fat fried to produce a sweet corn crunch or sweet corn nuts. Another commercial concern sells dehydrated sweet corn. That is sweet corn that is picked in the moist milk stage and dehydrated. One simply needs to add water prior to consumption of the sweet corn.
One known prior attempt to make flour from sweet corn was unsuccessful in part because of the mistaken belief that it was necessary to degerm the sweet corn. Sweet corn is known to have a very high content of oil and approximately ninety percent (90%) of the oil is in the germ. Accordingly, it was thought that degerming of the sweet corn was necessary to get rid of the oil which would make the flour rancid in a short time.
The food industry and consumers alike are looking for products that don't need preservatives. Whereas it is necessary for food products to have sufficient shelf life to prevent spoilage prior to normal usage, health conscious consumers tend to avoid those food products which include preservatives. At the same time, the snack food market is ever increasing. There is a need and ready market for snack foods having improved taste and texture.
Accordingly, a primary object of the invention is to provide an improved prepared food product including ground mature sweet corn as an ingredient thereof.
Another object is to provide an improved prepared food product having a long shelf life without any added preservatives.
Another object is to provide an improved prepared food product having enhanced taste and texture.
Another object is to provide an improved pet food product and method of preparing such a product which has both enhanced nutrition and palatability.
Another object is to provide improved prepared food products which simply come easily prepared, tasty and nutritious.